What You Need To Know About Homeschooling : Pandemic Edition
No matter how awful the Covid-19 pandemic is, considering its positive aspects, it has brought to light the truth that traditional schooling methods are not the only way that kids can be educated. It has escalated various other methods, the most prominent one being Homeschooling. While a huge number of parents are thinking to consider homeschooling as a short-term solution, some others are considering this period of self-isolation as an opportunity to experiment with it, and yet others call online learning as homeschooling. But homeschooling isn’t any of this.
Homeschooling is not the same as distance learning or online learning. No, homeschooling doesn’t look like the crisis learning that you are doing right now. Homeschooling does mean to educate kids at home, but it doesn’t mean homeschoolers are stuck up at home. Homeschooling has changed during the pandemic, but the change is also only until it is done.
So then what is homeschooling?
Homeschooling is a form of education in which the parents teach their kids at home instead of sending them to traditional schools.
Now, as a parent, you have decided to homeschool your kids and make the most of this opportunity that you have got to reshape your kid’s education. For, as Elizabeth Foss said,
When the atmosphere encourages learning, the learning is inevitable.
So, if you are one of those parents willing to use this quarantine period as an opportunity to gift your kids with the best of learning and memories, let me take you through how you could make homeschooling work with some steps to follow and tips to remember.
BEGINNING WITH HOMESCHOOLING
The process of homeschooling can be broken down into 3 steps.
1. ANALYSE THE STATE GUIDELINES
As a parent, this step requires you to do a good review of the state guidelines on homeschooling. Homeschooling has been made legal in all 50 states, but every state has its legal requirements for it to be carried out. For example, there are moderate regulations in places like Florida and Washington, strict regulations in places like New York and Pennsylvania, while no notice is required in places like Texas and Illinois. This variation in legal requirements includes the regulations on writing a letter of withdrawal to the higher authority of the school your kid is already studying in, to inform them about your decision and get consent. So, make sure you check with all the prerequisites and proceed to the next step only after the notification.
2. DECIDE WHAT YOU AND YOUR KIDS CHOOSE TO LEARN
Now, this is a step, that requires you and your kids to sit down and list down things into 2 columns: what the kids need to learn and what the kids want to learn. It doesn’t always work as a discussion with some kids, so it may need you to observe your kid’s activities or play games like ‘would you rather’ to identify their interests. The best part of homeschooling is that you have the complete freedom to shape your kids’ education as per their needs. So, make the best use of this step!
3. MONITOR THE PROCESS AND BE OPEN TO CHANGES
Once you have started with homeschooling your kids, don’t forget to keep a track of your kid’s performance. Remember that out of the many pros of homeschooling is the flexibility in time, curriculum and methods of learning. Don’t hesitate to make changes if an approach doesn’t suit you, for there is no such approach as a perfect approach when it comes to homeschooling.
TIPS ON HOMESCHOOLING
Now that we have divided the whole process into simpler steps, let me make it more comprehensible for you. Below are a few tips that could help you in homeschooling your kids.
- Understand your kid
While some kids are strong learners some others aren’t. But no kid is a good learner or a bad learner. The difference in pace and level of learning things usually shout the need for a change, in the environment, the learning style or sometimes the topic itself. A clear understanding of your kid’s area of interests, their weaknesses and their needs is the most important when it comes to homeschooling.
- Give yourself a strong reason
When you start working towards a goal that you have set, giving it a purpose and a direction matters a lot, and this applies even in the case of homeschooling. Be it you are just beginning with it or you have been doing this for years, homeschooling could get hard on you on some days, due to various reasons. Giving yourself a reason to do this even before you start will help you to stick through it.
- Set up a dedicated space for it
Do not forget that they are kids and distraction is something they are vulnerable to, and one of the ways you could avoid it is by setting aside a part of your home for their studies. It could be a separate room or just a desk, depending on your comfort. This will also save you from juggling around with your household chores and things.
- Fix a timing and make a schedule
Setting aside a defined amount of time for educating your kids is as essential a thing to do as it is to set aside a dedicated space for it. This will let you have time for your work and not make homeschooling look like a burden to you or your kids.
- Do not mimic the traditional classroom
This is one point at which the majority of the beginners go wrong. Homeschooling doesn’t mean to replicate another classroom environment at home, it just means to educate your kids at home. Maintaining a certain level of discipline does matter, but that doesn’t mean you would make your home a classroom. Make learning fun for the kids by using different ways to teach them like organizing quests, experiments, projects, and watching some educational films as a part of the day-to-day learning activity.
- Do not overdo
At the start, things are usually exciting and fun to do, but adds on stress and become a burden with time. So, make sure you maintain consistency in the process. At the same time remember that taking a day off when you are too stressed is completely fine. You don’t lose things by homeschooling, you only gain.
- Understand that you are allowed to be flexible
One of the most beautiful aspects of homeschooling is the flexibility it offers. So, don’t be hard on yourself and resistant to changes when it comes to homeschooling. Homeschooling gives you the liberty to change your curriculum, schedule, and methods of learning. Make the most of it.
- Use online resources
Yes, indeed you are a parent who is new to this role of being a teacher. You cannot be expected to remember the subjects you studied years ago and there will be certain subjects which you aren’t good at or you have no knowledge about. And during this pandemic, you cannot go to the libraries or hire a tutor for your kid. In such a case, online resources are always helpful. Check for PDFs on the topics, use different apps like Khan Academy, Scholastic, Audible, Epic, Duolingo and many more.
- Join homeschooling communities
This tip will help you know what other homeschooling families are doing and also help your kids socialize. Also, in this manner, you will be able to improvise in your ways of teaching by learning newer ways from the others. And this tip is very useful especially post-pandemic as you can attend the community activities as well.
This is a one-time opportunity that you have to give your kids the kind of education they need. Set aside the negative aspects of the pandemic and use this golden chance to make learning a daily routine that becomes a lifestyle. Children like to learn and they thrive by learning in ways they like. Give them a chance. Will you?
Opinions and Perspectives
The article really captures the essence of what homeschooling can be
We've seen such positive changes in our kids since starting homeschooling
Its encouraging to see how many resources are available for homeschooling families
The emphasis on making informed decisions about curriculum choices is valuable
Anyone else find their teaching style evolving as they gain more experience?
The part about understanding your child's learning style changed our approach completely
Its important to remember that homeschooling looks different for every family
Our experience aligns with the article about flexibility being one of the best aspects
Setting realistic expectations has been key for our homeschooling journey
We've noticed our kids are much more engaged when they have input into their learning
I'm amazed at how much more efficient learning can be when its personalized
The suggestion about using games to identify interests is brilliant. It makes the whole process more natural
Its true that homeschooling isn't being stuck at home. We do so many educational field trips
The article could have addressed how to handle resistance from family members who don't support homeschooling
Anyone else struggle with balancing homeschool and household responsibilities?
The part about monitoring progress and being open to changes is so important
I wish there was more information about transitioning from traditional school to homeschooling
The advice about being flexible with methods and curriculum is crucial. What works for one child might not work for another
We've discovered that learning happens everywhere not just at a desk
The article makes a good point about homeschooling being different from crisis learning during the pandemic
I'm concerned about my ability to teach higher-level subjects. Any suggestions?
The emphasis on making learning fun through projects and experiments is so important
We've actually found that a hybrid approach works best for us combining homeschool and some outside classes
The tip about observing your kids to understand their interests is great. Sometimes they can't articulate what they like
It would have been helpful to include more information about costs associated with homeschooling
The flexibility to learn at our own pace has been incredible for my son who has anxiety
The freedom to adjust the curriculum based on my child's interests has made learning so much more engaging
We've found that mixing traditional learning with practical life skills works really well
The article should have mentioned more about record-keeping requirements. That's been challenging for us
Joining a homeschool community was the best decision we made. The support is invaluable
The point about not replicating traditional classrooms is spot on. We do our best learning through hands-on projects
Anyone else find that their kids actually learn better with shorter, more focused sessions rather than traditional school hours?
The legal requirements vary so much between states. Make sure to research your local regulations carefully
Setting up a dedicated space was a game-changer for us. It really helps the kids transition into learning mode
I love how homeschooling allows us to incorporate real-world learning into everyday activities
The article could have addressed special needs education more thoroughly
We tried homeschooling but went back to traditional school. It just wasn't right for our family
The advice about using online resources is practical. There's no way parents can be experts in everything
I worry about covering all the necessary subjects properly. How do you ensure you're not missing anything important?
The flexibility in curriculum choices is amazing. My daughter was struggling with math until we found a program that clicked with her learning style
I found the separation between what kids need to learn versus want to learn particularly helpful
Its refreshing to see an article that doesn't try to paint homeschooling as either all good or all bad
The part about giving yourself a strong reason really resonates. You need that motivation on tough days
I appreciate how the article emphasizes that theres no perfect approach to homeschooling. Takes some pressure off
Has anyone tried Duolingo for language learning? The article mentions it but I'm wondering about real experiences
The tip about not overdoing it is so important. I burned myself out trying to do too much at first
I think the article could have mentioned more about how to handle multiple kids at different grade levels
We started homeschooling during the pandemic and never looked back. Its been amazing watching my kids thrive in this environment
That quote about learning being inevitable in the right atmosphere really struck a chord with me
The article makes some good points but seems to gloss over the challenges of working parents who want to homeschool
I'm curious about joining homeschool communities. Anyone here have experience with local groups?
The flexibility aspect is what attracted me to homeschooling. My son can spend more time on subjects he struggles with
We've been using Epic for reading and my kids absolutely love it. Its definitely worth checking out if youre homeschooling
Honestly, this whole homeschooling thing sounds overwhelming. I don't know how parents manage it all
The part about understanding your child's learning style is so important. My daughter learns completely differently from my son
Its interesting how the pandemic forced many of us to consider educational alternatives we might never have thought about before
I actually disagree with the scheduling advice. We found that flexible timing works much better for our family than fixed schedules
The legal requirements part is crucial. I had no idea different states had such varying regulations
Having homeschooled my three kids for the past year, I can definitely vouch for the importance of having a dedicated learning space. It makes such a difference in their focus
I wish the article had gone into more detail about socialization. That's my biggest concern about homeschooling
Does anyone have experience with those online resources mentioned like Khan Academy? I'm wondering how effective they really are
The tip about not trying to replicate a traditional classroom at home resonates with me. When I started homeschooling, I made that exact mistake and it just created unnecessary stress
I've been considering homeschooling my kids but wasn't sure where to start. The three-step process mentioned here makes it seem more manageable
This article really opened my eyes about the difference between crisis learning during the pandemic and actual homeschooling. I never realized there was such a distinction